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Creating Birthday Message Shortcut

Jul 3, 2025

Overview

The video provides a step-by-step guide to creating a shortcut on iPhone/iPad that automatically sends birthday messages to contacts whose birthdays match the current date, with options for sending via iMessage or WhatsApp, and scheduling the process through automation.

Creating the Birthday Message Shortcut

  • Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad and tap the plus icon to create a new shortcut.
  • Name the shortcut (e.g., "birthday messages").
  • Add the "Find Contacts" action and filter contacts whose birthday matches the current date.
  • Use the "Get Details of Contacts" action to retrieve phone numbers from matched contacts.
  • Implement "Repeat with Each" to ensure individual messages are sent to each contact, not as a group.

Sending Messages via iMessage or WhatsApp

  • Add the "Send Message" action within the repeat loop to compose and send a birthday message via iMessage or SMS.
  • To use WhatsApp, add the "WhatsApp Send Message" action instead, following the same process for recipients and message composition.
  • Select "repeat item" for the recipient field to ensure each contact receives their own message.

Automating the Shortcut

  • Go to the Automation tab in the Shortcuts app and create a new automation.
  • Set the trigger to "Time of Day" (e.g., daily at 6 a.m.) and enable "Run Immediately" to automate sending without manual confirmation.
  • Choose the "birthday messages" shortcut to run when the automation triggers.

Additional Notes

  • The shortcut requires birthday details saved directly in contact records, not as calendar events.
  • The process works independently after setup, sending messages automatically at the specified time.
  • Customization is possible for both the message’s content and the delivery method (iMessage or WhatsApp).

Recommendations / Advice

  • Ensure all relevant birthdays are saved in the contacts app to enable the shortcut to function properly.
  • Double-check recipient information to avoid sending messages to unintended numbers.

Action Items

  • TBD – User: Set up and customize the birthday messages shortcut in Shortcuts app.
  • TBD – User: Enable and configure automation for preferred time and delivery method.

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